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We’re free. Really.
By Steven | May 1, 2008
The latest world press freedom rankings are out. As usual, we’re in the top 10, where we’ve been for at least the past five years (this year, we’re 9th equal, actually). Those who like to rhapsodise about the US First Amendment and American press freedom might like to ponder that country’s rankings for the past four years: 16th, 17th, 24th, 15th. (Australia does worse).
A quirk of methodology? Well, check out the Reporters Without Borders’ annual press freedom indices. NZ is routinely in the top 20 (currently at 15th – before that 19th, 12th, 9th, and 17th). The US is hasn’t made the top 20 in the last five years (it’s currently 48th – before that 53rd, 44th, 22nd, 31st).
That’s not to say all is rosy. And I’m not entirely sure how familiar the rankers are with what’s going on in NZ. Still, this is a general indication that our protection of free speech scrubs up pretty well internationally.
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